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Keeping along the lines of last weeks post, giving it up to the ones that paved the way giving the locals an opportunity and outlet I must to give Dropzone a mention. I’m not exactly sure when it started but a few of us were hitting it up on the regular circa 2000-2001. Dropzone collective was, the Bourne brothers Ray (Rainman) and Steve (Steve B) and Two Dee from my hazy memory. Heavy funk grooves and Hip-Hop, open mics and guest MCs every Thursday night from 9pm up at the top level of the empire hotel, which was called the moon bar.

I have no idea what this venue looks like now but back then the 1st two levels were pretty well fit out with a fuck off bars, decks, plenty of seating, pool tables etc. The moon bar on the other hand, which was accessed through some hazardous internal stairs was a little different..It always had this dankness about it, a ‘sweatbox’ if you will, like the sweat from the fried speed patrons on levels one and two had wafted up to the top level. Dimly lit, regular trails of weed smoke wafting out of the back couch sections, it had a dope vibe too it. This was back when bouncers in the city would knock you back from clubs if you didn’t sport the leather or the collar and the valley was…just the valley, a little more relaxed on entry. Before it was a drink, chew and spew ‘Precinct’ that attracts 20k-40k plus per weekend and it gave a fuck about the music and where it was housed and crafted (fuck I sound like some old jaded cunt but it’s truth!). You sure as fuck didn’t pay upward of 10 bucks a throw for a rum either. Binge drinking was fucking encouraged!

The process for us was to head in early to the middle bar and hit up cheap drinks, play some pool, take drugs (if the mood was right), attempt to mac a bitch/s and stumble our way up for entry. Then, drink more, politic, harass women, harass the DJs to play something and let us up for the open mic (sorry Ray I was bad for that shit!). Rinse and repeat!

Dropzone introduced me to open mics, live hip-hop performance, good funk, hip-hop and most of all good people who I still have a lot of time for. The type of people you stay friends for life for because of that connection with the music/art and the community back then was so tight knit you could simply weed out the weak/toy cunts. Separate the real from fake so to speak. It birthed graff crews, rap crews, DJs who are still doing their thing for the culture today and I’m extremely grateful for this. Meeting our mentor, Ken Oath was something I also take away from this time and hold as a great moment. Putting us down with 750 Rebels I think corrupted us a little more than we already where but put us on the right path, at least in a musical sense haha.

Big up and repsect to Rainman and his brothers for getting the scene poppin’ back then and kicking off our Brisbane bullshit.

If anyone has any pics, flyers or tales please share.We were all rocking the dial up back then and time was money!